Fin clip and connector mount

ABSTRACT

The invention is a mounting capable of holding retracted missile fins and an umbilical electrical connector in a magazine-type launcher during long periods of storage and handling under adverse conditions without damage to the fins or connectors. The present mounting comprises a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;wishbone&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; member having transversely extending yoke-like clips on each arm of the wishbone member, the clips holding the missile fins in a folded, retracted position prior to launch of the missile. The center of the wishbone member is pivoted at its center, the center thereof being the point of connection of the mounting to the launcher and being located at a point above the axis of the missile to minimize the effects of missile movement which act to &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;work&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; the fins in the clips and the electrical connector seated in the missile itself.

United States Patent Kongelbeck Nov. 25, 1975 FIN CLIP AND CONNECTOR MOUNT Primary Examiner-Verlin R. Pendegrass [75] Inventor: Sverre Kongelbeck, Silver Spring Assistant Examiner-Salvatore A. Cangialosi [73] Assignee: The United States of America as ABSTRACT y p t sgcetary the The invention is a mounting capable of holding reas mg tracted missile tins and an umbilical electrical connec- [22] Filed: May 24, 1974 tor in a magazine-type launcher during long periods of storage and handling under adverse conditions without [21] Appl 473104 damage to the fins or connectors. The present mounting comprises a wishbone" member having trans- [52] US. Cl. 89/1.8; 244/329 versely extending yoke-like clips on each arm of the [51] Int. Cl. F42B 13/32 wishbone member, the clips holding the missile fins in [58] Field of Search 244/328, 3.29; 89/18, a folded, retracted position prior to launch of the mis- 89/1 .819 sile. The center of the wishbone member is pivoted at its center, the center thereof being the point of con- [56] References Cited nection of the mounting to the launcher and being lo- UNITED STATES PATENTS cated at a point above the axis of the missile to mini- 2977 880 4/1961 Kershner 244/3 29 mize the effects of missile movement which act to 3063'375 12/1962 Hawley 2446: work" the fins in the clips and the electrical connec- 3,273,500 l0/l966 Kongelbeck 244/328 seated in the mlsslle 3,769,876 10/1973 Haas et al. 89/l.8

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov.25, 1975 Sheet10f4 3,921,498

U.S. Patent Nov.25, 1975 Sheet20f4 3,921,498

MN NM m m\ l I om a g EMU riw 6 on mm Sheet 4 of 4 3,921,498

U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 FIN CLIP AND CONNECTOR MOUNT BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to mounting apparatus and particularly to an improved mounting for holding retracted missile fins in a magazine-type launcher as well as providing mounting apparatus for an umbilical electrical connection between the missile and the launcher. The present invention is particularly useful with a box launcher of the type disclosed by me in'U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,813 issued July 3, 1973. Missile launchers of the type disclosed in my patent require umbilical electric connecting systems which are expendable due to the lack of space available in the box launcher for the use of retracting mechanisms such as are usually employed on turret-type launchers. These umbilical electric connecting systems must maintain electrical connections between the missile and the launcher over long time periods and often under adverse handling and storage conditions, as when a ship mounting such launchers is operating under cruise conditions in heavy seas. Similarly, the missile fins must be heldin a retracted position over long time periods prior to launch of the missile. Under the adverse conditions alluded to above, the missile may shift positions within the launcher and cause the retracted fins to work or rub against any stationary fin engaging structural surface. Accordingly, the present invention provides a mounting apparatus capable of holding the retracted fins and the umbilical electrical connector of a missile held within a box launcher without damage to the fins or connector and without severance of the electrical connection between the missile and launcher.

The loading of a missile into a box launcher involves the use of a set of loading clips for holding the fins folded while the missile is moving on a pair of loading dolly rails intothe launcher. When loaded, the missile is properly secured by a latch in the rear of the launcher. After the missile is thus secured in the launcher, the present mounting apparatus is moved into the aft rail section of the launcher. The present mounting apparatus includes fin clips which are carried on opposite end portions of a yoke or wishbone assembly and which extend forwardly to engage the folded fins. After engagement of the fin clips with the fins, the loading clips are removed. The wishbone portion of-the present mounting apparatus is pivoted at its center at the point of connection thereof to the rear of the box launcher. This pivoted connection is made as close as possible to the plane of the missile shoes so that any lateral or swaying motion of the missile during storage or handling will be followed by the present apparatus.

Bymaintaining the pivot point of the wishbone portion work in. their clips is kept to a minimum.

sile.

but it, must also allow limited movement of the missile It isa further object of the invention to provide a mounting apparatus capable of holding an umbilical electrical connector in operational contact with a missile held within a box launcher prior to launch of the missile and during storage and handling thereof.

Other objects and advantagesof the invention not specifically mentioned hereinabove will become evident in light of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

An umbilical electrical connector such as is de BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an aft end view looking forward of a missile held within a box-type launcher and illustrating the present mounting apparatus in operative engagement with the missile fins and holding an umbilical electrical connector in operative contact with the missile;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view in partial section of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detail plan view in partial section of the structure shown in FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective viewof the present mounting apparatus mounted on a missile launcher and showing one of the fin clips engaged with a pair of folded missile fins, parts of the launcher and of the mis sile being shown in phantom.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS' Referring to the drawings, the outline of the aft end of a box launcher such as is disclosed by me in U-StPat. No. 3,742,813, is indicated at 10 with portions of guide rails forming an operative portion of said launcher being shown at 11 and 12. The launcher 10 also has an aft rail section indicated at 14. A missile 15 is held with the launcher 10 with fins 30 held in a folded position as will be described hereinafter. I

The present mounting apparatus is seen to be mounted on the launcher 10 by means of a bracket 16 which is secured to the aft rail section 14 by a bolt 17. The bracket 16 extends forwardly and carries at its forward end portion spaced trunnions 18 which mount a yoke or wishbone assembly 20 therebetween in cooperation with a bolt and spacer assembly 19. The wishbone assembly 20 is of a substantially inverted semi-circular shape which substantially follows the curvature of the cross-section of the missile l5. Theassembly 20 has a thickened bright portion 21 substantially atits center or mid-point which receives. the bolt assembly l9 within a channel formed therein to mount the wishbone assembly 20 onto the launcher 10. The wishbone assembly 20 is pivotally movable about the bolt assembly l9, the pivotal point thus defined being located at a point above the longitudinal axis of the missile 15. The wishbone assembly 20 has arms 22 and 23 which are enlarged at their terminal ends to respectivelyreceive shanks 25 of tin clips 26 in apertured "channels 31 formed in the enlarged end portions of the arms 22 and 23. The fin clips 26 include U-shaped clip elements 29 formed integrally on each of the shanks 25. The fin clips 26 straddle aft end portions of the missile fins 30. The fin clips 26 replace loading clips (not shown) when the missile 15 is fully loaded into the launcher 10. The inner surfaces of 'each of the arms comprising the U- shaped clip elements 29 have substantially hemispherical washers 31 disposed thereon, the washers being composed of a relatively low friction material such as teflon to prevent wear of the fins 30.

Mounted on the arm 23 of the wishbone assembly 20 is an umbilical electrical connector 32 (not fully shown in FIG. 4) mounted by means ofa connector mount 27. The connector mount 27 is best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 and provides a flexible connection between the launcher and the aft end 28 of the missile 15. A detailed description of the connector 32 may be found in my U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 374,823, filed June 29, 1973, which is incorporated hereinto by reference. The connector 32 will thus not be described in detail herein.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 4, the wishbone assembly 20 is seen to be pivotally held at essentially the same height as the highest point located on the cylindrical surface of the missile l5. Lateral or swaying motion of the missile during storage or handling is thereby followed by the wishbone assembly 20. By maintaining the pivot point of the wishbone assembly at their relatively high position relative to the longitudinal axis of the missile (the pivot point being at least as high as the surface of the missile itself), disturbing motion of the missile 15 which can cause the fins to work in the fin clips 26 is minimized. The connector mount 27 is attached to either side of the wishbone assembly 20 and thus has the same pivot point as does the fin clips 26, Le, the pivot point provided by the bolt assembly 19 holding the wishbone assembly 20 between the spaced trunnions 18 of the bracket 16. It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the U-shaped clip elements 29 are sufficiently elongated to maintain the fins 30 in a folded position even during the first forward motion of the missile on launch thereof. The elements 29 hold the fins 30 until the forward portions of the fin surfaces become engaged with the guide rails 11 and 12 of the launcher 10. The guide rails 11 and 12 hold the fins 30 in a folded position until the missile l5 clears the launcher 10. The guide rails 11 and 12 cannot be allowed to contact the fins 30 prior to movement of the missile 15 from the launcher 10 due to the possibility of damage to the fins 30 which would likely be caused by abrasive contact with stationary structural surfaces during potential sway or motion of the missile encountered under conditions of storage and handling.

While the invention has been described in a hardmounted box launcher, i.e., where the missile 15 is held'by the rail section 14 which is directly mounted to the structural box portion of the launcher 10, the invention is also useful and even essential when the rail section 14 is elastically or shock-mounted within the launcher 10. In such an installation (not shown), the rail section 14 (and thus the missile 15) is elastically suspended by a shock and isolation system. In such an arrangement, considerable relative displacement occurs between the rail-suspended missile and the structural box portion of the launcher, thereby resulting in more pronounced wear-producing rubbing of the fins 30 against the guide rails 11 and 12. The present invention prevents this wear from occurring by retaining the fins in a fully folded position away from the rails and in proximity to the missile as is described above relative to the hard-mounted configuration. Additionally, a shockmounted missile as described above must provide for movement of the electrical connector 32 to move with the missile. Mounting of the connector 32 to the walls of the launcher by a rigid bracket results in failure of electrical contact even if provision is made for a degree of floating freedom between the connector and the bracket since the connector must be pressed into contact with the missile with considerable force. Use of the invention results in only an insignificant amount of relative movement between the connector and the missile.

Since the invention may be practiced other than is specifically described hereinabove, it is to be understood that the invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a missile launcher and a missile positioned in the launcher for launching therefrom, said missile having fins folded from the normal in-flight position,

a mounting apparatus for retaining the fins in the folded, pre-flight position, said apparatus including bracket means secured to the launcher,

a generally semi-circular yoke member pivotally secured at its mid-point in the bracket means, the member having curving arms extending from the point of attachment of said member with the bracket means and being spaced from the missile, and

fin clips mounted on the ends of the arms of said yoke member, the fin clips extending toward the missile to engage the folded fins, thereby to maintain the fins in a folded position.

2. The mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein electrical connection means is provided between the missile and the launcher, the electrical connection means comprising a connector extending from the launcher into engagement with the missile, and a connector mount mounting the connector and being mounted on an arm of the yoke member.

3. The mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the fin clips comprise an elongated shank member attached to the end of one of the arms, the shank member extending toward the missile and terminating in a U-shaped clip element, which element holds the fins in a folded position.

4. The mounting apparatus of claim 3 wherein the spaced portions of the clip element forming the U- shaped conformation thereof are spatially separated a distance sufficient to receive the folded fins therebetween and to allow relative movement between the fins and the clip element.

5. The mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bracket means is secured to the launcher at a point thereon rearwardly displaced from and above the longitudinal axis of the missile. 

1. In combination with a missile launcher and a missile positioned in the launcher for launching therefrom, said missile having fins folded from the normal in-flight position, a mounting apparatus for retaining the fins in the folded, preflight position, said apparatus including bracket means secured to the launcher, a generally semi-circular yoke member pivotally secured at its mid-point in the bracket means, the member having curving arms extending from the point of attachment of said member with the bracket means and being spaced from the missile, and fin clips mounted on the ends of the arms of said yoke member, the fin clips extending toward the missile to engage the folded fins, thereby to maintain the fins in a folded position.
 2. The mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein electrical connection means is provided between the missile and the launcher, the electrical connection means comprising a connector extending from the launcher into engagement with the missile, and a connector mount mounting the connector and being mounted on an arm of the yoke member.
 3. The mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the fin clips comprise an elongated shank member attached to the end of one of the arms, the shank member extending toward the missile and terminating in a U-shaped clip element, which element holds the fins in a folded position.
 4. The mounting apparatus of claim 3 wherein the spaced portions of the clip element forming the U-shaped conformation thereof are spatially separated a distance sufficient to receive the folded fins therebetween and to allow relative movement between the fins and the clip element.
 5. The mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bracket means is secured to the launcher at a point thereon rearwardly displaced from and above the longitudinal axis of the missile. 